Red Cross seeking diverse blood supply from donors

The American Red Cross urges people of all races and ethnicities to give blood to help ensure a diverse blood supply for patients in need.
Some blood types are unique to certain racial and ethnic groups. For patients with rare blood types, blood from someone with a similar racial or ethnic background is important to decrease the chance of complications.
You can help by encouraging people of all races and ethnicities to give blood to maintain a diverse blood supply. Below is information about upcoming Red Cross blood donation opportunities in the community.
For a small percentage of the population, finding someone else with the same blood type can be difficult. While the vast majority of people have types A, B, O or AB blood, some blood types are unique to certain racial and ethnic groups, so a diverse blood supply is important to meeting the medical needs of a diverse patient population.
Patients who require frequent blood transfusions as part of their treatment, like those with sickle cell disease or other lifelong blood disorders, often need close blood type matches to prevent complications from their transfusion therapy.
All blood types are needed to ensure that the right blood product is available at the right time for all patients.
Make an appointment to donate by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-733-2767 or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.
Upcoming Lyon County blood donation opportunities: Ghent: Sept. 23 - 2-7 p.m., KB's Bar and Grill, 100 Burlingame St.